Melon holder



p 20, 1950 w. H. KYLES 2,953,180

MELON HOLDER Filed June 4, 1958 William H. Kyles IN VEN TOR.

Ammqs United States Patent MELON HOLDER William H. Kyles, Twin Falls, Idaho (832 Sprague Ave'., Buhl, Idaho) Filed June 4, 1958, Ser. No. 739,808

4 Claims. (Cl. 146-216) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in food holders and the like, and more specifically to an improved holder for melons.

When melons are cut into slices and placed upon an ordinary plate, the slice of melon has a tendency to slide about in the plate, which makes it difiicult to eat. It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide an improved melon holder which is of such a nature whereby it may be placed in a plate for rigidly supporting a slice of melon thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved melon holder which includes a body member having a plurality of spikes extending upwardly therefrom, certain of the spikes at the ends of the body member extending down through the body member and having attached thereto suitable supporting feet whereby the body member may be mounted on a plate or other type of dish.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved melon holder, the melon holder being specifically designed for mounting on a plate including suction cups for securement to the plate in a fixed position, the melon holder also including spikes extending upwardly for projection into a melon slice whereby the melon slice may be anchored with respect to the melon holder.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a melon holder which is the subject of this invention and shows the same positioned on a plate, the plate being illustrated by broken lines;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of Figure 1 and shows the specific cross section of the melon holder and the relationship thereof with respect to a melon slice, the melon slice being shown by broken lines; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of Figure 1 and shows the manner in which one of the supporting feet of the melon holder is secured in place by one of the spikes.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated the melon holder which is the subject of this invention, the melon holder being referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The melon holder includes a supporting body member which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 12. The supporting member 12 is preferably formed of a suitable plastic material but may be formed of metals or other materials. The body member 12 is generally H-shaped in outline and includes transversely extending end portions 14 which are connected together by a longitudinally extending central portion 16 and intermediate portions 18.

As is best illustrated in Figure 2, the central portion 16 is depressed with respect to the end portions 14 and the intermediate portions 18 slope downwardly toward the central portion 16 from the end portions 14. The purpose of this particular arrangement will be more clearly seen hereinafter.

In order that the melon holder 10 may suitably support a melon, the body member 12 is provided with a plurality of spikes. These spikes include end spikes 20 which are carried by the end portions 14. The spikes also include intermediate spikes 22 which are carried by the central portion 16. The central portion 16 is provided with internally threaded bores 24 in which there are threadedly engaged threaded extensions 26 of the spikes 22. I

Referring now to Figure 3 in particular, it will be seen that the end portions 14 are provided with bores 28 through which externally threaded extensions 30 of the spikes 20 pass. The threaded portions 30 extend below the end portions 14 and are threadedly engaged in upper parts of supporting feet 32. The supporting feet 32 are in the form of suction cups.

Although other types of supporting feet may be utilized, the purpose of the suction cups 32 is to permit a firm anchoring of the melon holder '10 with respect to a dish on which a slice of watermelon, such as the watermelon slice 34, may be eaten. Thus, the suction cups 32 will engage a dish, such as a plate 36, to rigidly secure the melon holder to the plate 36 when desired and at the same time permits removal thereof as is necessary once the melon slice 34 has been eaten.

In order to provide a firm support for the central portion 16 of the body member 12, the underside of the central portion 16 lies in a common plane with the lower surface of the supporting feet or suction cups 12 when in position. This is clearly illustrated in Figure 2. Thus, the central portion 16 will firmly engage the bottom of a plate, such as the plate 36, or any other dish on which the melon holder 10 is utilized.

The spikes 20 may be formed either of a suitable plastic material or a non-corrosible metal and are sharpened. This facilitates the engagement of the melon spikes 34 thereon. It will be readily apparent that once the melon slice 34 has been engaged on the spikes 20 and 22, the melon slice 34 will be rigidly fixed on the plate 36.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A melon holder comprising #a one-piece flexibly resilient body member generally H-shaped in plan, a plurality of cooperating spikes attached at lower end portions to said body member and rising perpendicularly therefrom, said spikes having upper ends pointed to penetrate a melon, certain of said spikes having lower end portions extending down through end portions of said body member, supporting feet secured to the underside surfaces of the end portions of said body member by lower end portions of said certain spikes, said body member having a depressed central portion, said central portion having an underneath surface disposed approximately in a plane common with the bottom surfaces of said supporting feet, said end portions being disposed in a plane above the plane of said depressed central 7 portion and serving to elevate the upper pointed ends of the spikes thereon above corresponding upper ends of spikes carried by said central portion. V

2. A holder for a melon or the like comprising a onepiece body 40f bendably resilient plastic material H- shaped in plan and embodying an "elongated substantially flat centralportion which may rest upon, a support surface, elevated end portions disposed in a plane above the plane of said central portion parallel to each other and at right angles to said central portion, ,and connecting portions joining median parts of said end portions with the cooperating respective ends of said central portion, said connecting portions sloping downwardly toward said central portion, suction cups carried by therespective outer ends of said end portions and disposed below underneath surface of said end portions, spaced pairs 'of upstanding spikes, the spikes of each pair being carried by the ,outer ends of said end portions, and additional upstanding spikes carried by said central portion. 7 3. A holder for a melon or the'likecomprising a'onepiece body of bendably' resilient plastic material H- shaped in plan and embodying an elongatedsubstantially flat central'portion which may rest upon asupport surface, elevated end portions. disposed in a plane above the plane of said central portion parallel to each other and at right angles to said central portion, and connecting portions joining median parts of said end portions with the cooperating respective ends of said centralporlion, all of said spikes having pointed upper ends, the upper ends of the first named spikes projecting to a position above the upper ends of the second named spikes, said second named spikes being aligned with each other and also being in line with an imaginary lengthwise line passing midway through the spaces existing between the pairs of first named spikes.

4. A holder for a melon or the like comprising a onepiece body of bendably resilient plastic material H- shaped in plan and embodying an elongated substantially flat central portion which may rest upon a support surface, elevated end portions disposed in a plane above the plane of said central portion parallel to each other and at right angles to said central portion, and connecting portions joining median parts of said end portions with the cooperating respective ends of said central portion, said connecting portions sloping downward- 7 1y toward said central portion,'the outer ends of said end portions having bores therethrough, a suction cup located beneath an outer end of each end portion and having a screw threaded socket registering with the bore above it, an upstanding spike situated at each outer end and having a screw extension passing downwardly through the associated cooperating bore and screwed into the socket with which it is cooperable, and additional upstanding spikes operatively mounted on said central portion. a

7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 436,654 Frederick Sept. ,16, 1890 566,479 Sellman Aug. 25, 1896 2,102,542 Markle Dec. 14, 1937 2,111,456 Markle Mar. 15, 1938 2,584,295 Sanzenbacher Feb. 5, 1952 

